M81 - The Bode Galaxy

M81 is also know at the Bode Galaxy. It is a grand design spiral galaxy and due to it's large size and proximity to the Milky Way Galaxy, it is a popular target for amateur astronomers. It is visible year round in the Northern Lattitudes. It has a companion galaxy, M82, the Cigar Galaxy. It was discovered by German Astronomer Johann Elert Bode in 1774. It is 96,000 light-years in diameter and contains more than 250 billion stars. M81 is located in the constellation Ursa Major at 09h 55m 33.2s RA, +69^o 03m 55s DEC. It is 12 Million Light Years from Earth, and has a visual magnitude of 6.9. The best time to observe M81 is in the early Spring.

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Freeport, IL USA
3 January 2019
1h 53m 35s
Sony A6000
2500
30 Sec
ES80 Triplet
480mm f/6

DeepSkyStacker
Pixinsight
Photoshop

4 Sessions. Used Darks and Flats.